NBA playoffs: Durant carries Thunder past Grizzlies

Updated 9:58 pm, Sunday, May 5, 2013

Kevin Durant (35) feels it after Memphis' Mike Conley, bottom right, was called out of bounds and the ball awarded to Oklahoma City in the final minute Sunday.

Kevin Durant (35) feels it after Memphis' Mike Conley, bottom right, was called out of bounds and the ball awarded to Oklahoma City in the final minute Sunday.

Photo: Sue Ogrocki, STF

NBA playoffs: Durant carries Thunder past Grizzlies

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OKLAHOMA CITY - Derek Fisher turned a tough situation for the Thunder into the worst-case scenario for the Grizzlies.

With Oklahoma City down by one in the final minute, Fisher poked the ball away from Memphis' Mike Conley, springing three-time NBA scoring champion Kevin Durant into the open court with a chance to put OKC on top.

Durant pulled up and connected on a jumper with 11.1 seconds left for the last of his 35 points, lifting the Thunder to a 93-91 victory over the Grizzlies on Sunday in Game 1 of the Western Conference semifinals.

"I just wanted to get up the floor as quick as possible and find a shot," said Durant, who finished second in league MVP voting announced Sunday. "That was the only shot I could find and, by the grace of God, it went in."

Thabo Sefolosha kept Memphis from going back ahead, deflecting a pass that Conley was able to corral - but only after diving out of bounds. Reggie Jackson then hit a pair of free throws for a three-point lead, and Quincy Pondexter couldn't force overtime after getting fouled while attempting a 3-pointer with 1.6 seconds left.

Pondexter, a 72 percent career free-throw shooter, missed the first free throw. He made his second attempt before intentionally missing the third, but Durant swatted the rebound away and Marc Gasol's attempt at a buzzer-beater was late.

"We couldn't get stops. That's why we lost," said Gasol, who had 20 points and 10 rebounds. "We didn't lose because of free throws."

Kevin Martin scored 25 for Oklahoma City, which trailed for much of the game but was able to avoid repeating its Game 1 loss from when these teams met in the West semifinals two years ago.

David West scored 20 points, Paul George added 19 and Indiana won at New York in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

D.J. Augustin had 16 points for the Pacers, who built a 16-point lead while Carmelo Anthony was on the bench in foul trouble in the third quarter, and easily held on to spoil the Knicks' first second-round game since 2000.

Anthony finished with 27 points and 11 rebounds but was frustrated by Indiana's rugged defense and by the referees. He shot 10-of-28 from the field.

The Pacers, who allowed the second-fewest points per game and the lowest field-goal percentage in the league during the regular season, mixed in solid offense as well. They outscored New York 59-38 across the middle two quarters and were comfortably ahead throughout the fourth.